Safety message
While the distress to the HPT was severe enough in this case to result in an in-flight engine shutdown, the associated risks to the safety of continued flight were relatively low, given the failure had been contained and the operator’s procedures were effective in managing the engine shut down. .
Maybe I have misunderstood the ATSB statement that says "the associated risks of continued flight were relatively low".
But as I read it, ATSB would have happily given the green light for the captain to continue all the way on three engines to its destination 15 hours away if he elected to choose that course of action. We know these engines are reliable but isn't the ATSB statement stretching their trust of these engines a bit too far, as well as encouraging risk taking?